Loudoun County schools superintendent says no to signing anti-DEI certification

Kate Ryan | kryan@wtop.com
April 25, 2025, 6:26 PM

Loudoun County, Virginia, schools Superintendent Aaron Spence has refused to sign off on forms that require schools to eliminate “illegal” diversity, equity and inclusion curriculum or risk losing federal funding.

In a letter to the community posted on the Loudoun County schools’ website, Spence said that the U.S. Department of Education called on Virginia’s education department to collect certification forms from all school districts by April 24, but that he would not be doing that.

In its Feb. 14 “Dear Colleague” letter, Education Department Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor wrote that some programs in schools discriminate in “insidious ways.” DEI programs, the letter continued, “frequently preference certain racial groups and teach students that certain racial groups bear unique moral burdens that others do not.”

Spence said the refusal to sign off on the certification being collected by the Virginia Department of Education is not political or ideological. … “We’re not putting ourselves out to intentionally poke somebody in the eye,” he said.

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Kate Ryan
As a member of the award-winning WTOP News, Kate is focused on state and local government. Her focus has always been on how decisions made in a council chamber or state house affect your house. She's also covered breaking news, education and more.
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